Fireplace grate



I July 22, i930. w. A. HANNUM 1,771,174

FIREPLACE GRATE Filed March 28. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

Wf/iz am A. Han/rum BY I ATTORNEY.

W. A. HANNUM FIREFLACE July 22, 1930.

GRATE Fi led March 28, .1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

A TIORNEY.

W. A. H ANNUM FIREPLACE GRATE July 22, 1930.

Filed March .28, 1929 s Shouts-Sheet 3 F1; 9. M X/ am A.

[HIT

I N V EN TOR. Hamid/72 A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 22, 1930 WILLIAM A. HANNUM, or GRAND LAKE, cotonnno FIREPLACE GRATE Application filed March 28, 1929. Serial No. 350,675.

This invention relates to the class of stoves and furnaces andpertains particularly to an improved type of fire place grate.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fireplace grate having means associated therewith whereby air for the maintenance of fuelcom'bustionin the grate may be drawn directly into the fire place from the outside of the building or H) through the wall of the fire place chimney instead of taking air from the'iroom'into which the fire place opens.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the gratestructure may be shifted in the fire place for regulating the introduction of air into the fire place in desired quantities.

Still another object of the present inven; tion is to provide a fire place grate structure formed to receive air from an air inlet duct and discharge the same in heated condition into the room in which the fire place opens. 5 V

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fire place grate structure having associated therewith independent andiron units of tubular formation, designed to extend rearwardly through the fire place into the aforementioned air inlet means to receive air :24) therefrom and conduct it to the discharge opening through which air heated by the fire place unit is discharged, the andirons serving to support the grate fire box walls and. a bottom for the grate. I

. .3 An other object of the invention is to provide a pair of fire place grate supporting andirons having, oscillatable supporting feet designed to permit the andirons and the grate supported thereby to be easily shifted back.

into or drawn out of the fire place opening.

Theinvention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection withthe salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the fire place grate structure embodying the present invention taken upon the line 11 of Figure 2, showing in sectiona portion of the back wall of the fire place to which the unit is connected; V i 4 Figure 2 is aview in top plan of the fire place grate unit embodying the present invention; p

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the unit taken upon the line 3+3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan View of a pair of andirons similar to theories shown in Figures'l and 2, designed for use without the grate basket, the air inlet duct associated therewith being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a sectional View longitudinally of the lower portion of a supporting leg of an itndiron showing the oscillatable foot there- Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken longitudinally through the bodies 4 and '5, showing the method of adjusting the same for the regulation of air currents passing therethrough;

' Figure 7 is a view in front elevation of the fire place grate unit embodying this invention; 7

Figure 8 is a sectional view. taken upon the line 88 of Figure 2; p t Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 with the grate basket and andirons removed and with the air inlet openings normally leading, to and through the andirons and grate basket closed. Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, the numeral 1 indicates a portion of the rear wall of a fire place which'for the use of the present invention is provided with an opening 2, preferably leading from the outside of the building in which the fire place is located into the fire place as shown, the floor or hearth of the fire place being indicated by the numeral 3. p

Adapted for insertion in the opening 2 of indicated at 6, to permit of the angular adjustment of the tube in the outer body 4,

so that air passing through certain openings in the tube 5, as hereinafter described can be directed as desired. V

The inner end of each of the tubes 4 and 5 is flared or funnel-shaped as indicated by the numerals 7 and 8, and in addition the walls of the tube 5 adjacent the flared inner end thereof are provided with a plurality of apertures 9.

The side and bottom walls of the flared portion 8 of the inner tube 5 are provided with inturned flanges 10, and adapted to be slipped into position behind these flanges from above, is a plate 11' through the central portion of which is formed a square opening 12. This plate carries upon its outer face a pair of wing plates 13 and 14, each of which carries an arm 15, the free end of whlch 1s pivotally secured to the plate 11, as indicated at 16. Under certain conditions, as for example, when the fire basket of the grate structure is not to be used, one of these wing plates may be lowered to close a portion of the opening '12 as will be hereinafter more fully described and under certain other conditions these plates may be employed for completely closing this opening, as will be described hereinafter also.

Associated with the fireplace structure is a pair of tubular andirons each of which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 17. Each of these andirons comprises an inner arm 18 connected by a lateral portion 19 with an outer arm 20, and each of the outer arms terminates in and intermediate the ends of a tubular upright leg 21, the lower portion of each of which legs is closedby a supporting foot 22 of which a transverse floor or hearth engaging swinging plate 23 forms a part, the plate 23 being suspended from a supporting pivot pin 24 in the upper por tion of the foot body, as shown in Figure 5.

The inner arms 18 of the andirons are designed to be brought into side by side relation for extension through the lower portion of the opening 12 in the plate 11 of the air inlet unit which is mounted in the back wall of the fire place and these inner arms being parallel with the outer arms 20, the outer arms will, of course, be. arranged to extend from the front of the fire place in parallel relation.

Formed upon the inner face of the outer arm of each andiron and upon the lateral extension 19 thereof is a fire grate supporting tongue 25. These tongues 25 are designed i 53 to support a fire grate or bottom 26, which bottom has an upturned forward or outer edge 27 and is provided with a transverse opening 28 inwardly of the upturned forward edge, as shown in Figure 1. The forward edge of the opening 28 has projecting downwardly and rearwardly therefrom the flange 29 which acts to catch air entering the fire place through the lower passage 6 beneath the grate to direct the air upwardly into the fire box hereinafter described. Cl )5- ing the major portion of the opening 28 is an ash dumping door or plate 3-1), which is pivotally mounted at each end as indicated at31, for support by the floor st; ture.

Designed to be mounted upon the andirons 17 is a fire box wall unit, indicated as a whole by the numeral 32. This unit comprises the hollow side wall portions 33 and the hollow back wall portion the lower portion of the back of the back wall 3% having extending rearwardly therefrom the pipe 35 which rests upon the inner arms of the andirons and extends therewith through the opening 12 of the plate 11.

The forward edges of the side walls 733 of the fire box unit are formed to provide the hollow columns 36, the lower end of each of which columns is designed to position in the upper end of the tubular le 21 of the underlying andiron.

Connected with the upper end of each of the columns 36 is a tubular elbow 37, the upper end of which discharges forwardly from the fire place and preferably controlled by an oscillating valve or damper 3 Suspended between the columns of the fire box wall unit is a front wall 3$ which is directed downwar ly and inwardly at its lower end, as indicated at a0 and slotted vertically along the lower edge, as indicated at 41, the lower portion of this wall'being designed to depend between the legs 21 of the a'ndirons to bring the slotted lower edge thereof into relatively close proximity to the upturned forward edge 2? of the grate.

WVithin the hollow back wall portion of the fire box wall unit is formed a series of fins 42 which act as bailies for air entering the wall through the member 5 and the pipe 235, to direct the air laterally toward the side walls of the unit. These fins also act to more eiiiciently heat the air passing through the hollow wall structure and to further increase the air heating efficiency of the structure, each of the hollow side walls 33 of the unit is also provided upon the opposed side faces thereof with a series of forwardly curving baffle fins 43. i

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with the complete structure just described fresh air may be admitted in regulated amounts through the passages (3 formed between the members 4; and of the fresh air inlet unit by oscillating the entire grate structure and the andirons upon the sages 6 will be partly discharged directly into the chimney above the back of the grate and partly beneath the grate to pass Upwardly between the flange 29 of the bottom and the ash door 28. Additional air will, of course, pass through the-passage formed betweenthe grate bottom edge .27 and the lower slotted edge 40 of the apron 39. Air will also be admitted through the mem ber to the inner arms of the andirons 1'? a and to thepipe 35, the air entering the arms of the andiron passing through the lateral extensions and through the forward arms thereof to and up through the legs 21 to be discharged from the fire place-into a room through the forwardly directed discharge elbow 37. The air entering the'pipe will pass through the hollow walls of the unit 32 where it will be heated and from which it will pass into and upwardly through the columns 36 for discharge through the elbows It willbe readily appreciated that fresh heated air may be supplied to a room by the present structure when the same is used for IT) burning logs instead of employing the grate shown. H

In this case the unit 32 may be removed and alsothe grate bottom 26 and 'the structure used as shown in Figur-eA, that is, with s a the andirons and with the air, inlet unit in the back of the fire place which is made up of the telescoping members 4 and 5and'the parts carried thereby. When the unit 32 isremoved as described then oneof the wing plates car ried by the plate 11, as for eXample, the plate 13, maybe lowered to rest upon the inner arms of the andirons to close the upper part ,of the opening 12 from which the fire basket wall unit pipe 35 was removed. 1

air admitting unit used alone.

Due to the manner in which the ends of the inner arms 18 are curved slightly "laterally as shown, the andirons may be drawn forward and spread to adapt them to fire place openings of different sizes.

' If it is desiredto use the fire place without I the fire grate and the andirons 17,]then' both of these units may be removed and the fresh When this is done both of thewing plates Band 14 are lowered to cover the opening 12 through'the being designed also to control the fire place uponthis side of the unit. By moving themember' 5orearwardly, the flared portion8thereof willseat against the flared portion 7 of the member 4 at the point and thus completely close the unit against entrance of air. hen theangular adjustment described is made the springs 6 serve to maintain the member 5 in the position selected.

-From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that a fire place equipped with a grate-structure embodying the present in vention 'will give the maximum of efficiency as a heating. unit and will supply a room with heated fresh air which may be taken directly fromthe exterior of the building instead-of from the roominto which the fire place opens, as do ordin'ary fireplaces. .The draft for the grate boxinay also be conveniently regulated and may be so introduced into the fire place as to enter the fire over the topor through the bottomof the box in which the fire is located. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I l i l. A fire place grate structure, comprising a means for supporting fuel for burning, adjustable means for introducing air into the fireplace from the" rear thereof and controlling the direction of-fiow of the air therethrough, means whereby a portion of the introduced air may be heated andconducted to and discharged from the front of the fire place, said adjustable air introducing means quantity of air introduced into the fireplace.

2. A fire place grate structure constructed as'a removable unit, comprising a fuel supporting body, means connected with said body for introducing air into the fire place from the rear thereof for discharge around all sides of the unit, and means for conducting air about and in contact with the sides of the fuel supporting body and discharging the same from the unit forwardly of the body.

3. A fire place grate structure, comprising a fuel supporting body, means connected with said body for introducing air into the fire place from the rear thereof, means for conducting introduced air about and in contact with the fuel supporting body and discharging the same from the fire place forwardly of the body, and means for conducting air into the fire place from said air introducing means to dischargeit above and below the fuel sup porting body, said fuel support-ing body being adjustable for the control of the quantity of air entering through the air introducing means. a l

4. A fire place gratestructure, comprising an air introducing unit, comprising a pair of telescopically associated members mounted in the rear wall of a fire place, means whereby an adjustment of said members relative to one another will act to control the entrance of air i into the fire place, a fuel supporting unit, means to provide an air chamber about said unit, said chamber being designed to discharge into a room forwardly of the fire place, and an air conductor leading from the air introduced unit into said chamber.

5. A fire place grate structure, comprising an air introducing unit, comprising a pair of telescopically associated members designed to be mounted in the rear wall of a fire place, means whereby an adjustment of said members relative to one another will act to control the entrance of air into the fire place, a fuel supporting unit, an air chamber about said unit, said chamber being designed to discharge into a room forwardly of the fire place, an air conductor leading from the air introducing unit into said chamber, said fuel supporting unit having a bottom arranged in a plane above an air entrance point of the air introducing unit, and means forming a part of-said bottom whereby introduced air will be deflected to pass through the fuel supporting unit.

6. A fire place grate structure, comprising a fire box having chambered side and back walls, supporting means for said box including upright tubular columns each in communication with said chambers and each open at its upper end for discharge into a room, an air conducting body leading from said chambers, and means for introducing air into said air conductor from the back of the fire place. a

7. A fire place grate structure, comprising a fire box having chambered-side andback walls, supporting means for said box including upright tubular columns each in communication with said chambers, and eachopen at its upper end for discharge into a room, an air conducting body leading from said chambers, means for introducing air into'said air conductor from the back of the fire place, said air introducing means being also designed for discharging air fromthe exterior of the fire place through the back above and below the fire basket.

8. A fire place grate structure, comprising a fire box having chambered side and back walls, a bottom for the box having a trans verse slot therethrough adjacent the forward portion thereof and a depending rearwardly directed flange along the forward edge of said slot, an air admission unit designed to-open through the back wall of a fire place and consisting of a. pair of telescopically associated tubular bodies, an air conducting passage leading from one chambered wall oftheifire box into said unit, hot air conducting means leading from the side walls of the box for the discharge of air into a room, said box bottom flange being designed to intercept-air issuing from the unit to conduct it through the box, and means whereby the-fire box may be shifted to shift one of the members of said unit for controlling the passage .of'airtherethrough.

9. A fire place grate structure, comprising a fire box having chambered side and back walls, a bottom for the box having a trans verse slot therethrough adjacent the forward portion thereof and a depending rearwardly directed flange along the forward edge of said slot, an air admission unit designed to open through-the back wall 'of a fire place and consisting of a pair of telescopically associated tubular bodies, an (air conducting passage leading from one chambered wallof the fire box into said unit, hot air conducting means leading from-the side walls of the box for the discharge of air intoa room, said box bottomffiange being designed to intercept air issuing from the unit to conduct it through the box, means whereby the fire box may be shifted to shift one of the members of said unit for controllingthe passage of air therethrough, said means consisting of oscillatable supporting feetcarryingthe forward portion of the fire box.

10. In a fire place grate structure, a fire box having chambered side-land back walls, a support for said box comprisinga pairof tubular andiron bodies each including inner and outer connected arms,.a bottom structure for said box carriedby saidandirons,tubular supporting legs supporting and in communication with the forward arms-of theandirons, each of said legs being in communication with a chambered wall of the .box, means fordischargingaair from'each of the side walls of said fire box above and forwardly of the same, and means forintroducingair into the inner arms of the andirons and intoithe chambered back-wall ofthe fire box.

11. In a;fire;place;grate structure, a-fire box having chamberedsideand back walls, a-support for said box comprising a pair of tubular andiron bodieseach including inner and outer connected arms, a bottom structure for said box carried by said andirons, tubular supporting legs supporting and iii-communication with the forward arms oftheandirons, each ofsaid legs being in communication with a-chambered wall of-the box, means for discharging air from each of the'side walls of said fire box above and forwardly of the same,zmeans for'introducing air into the inner arms of the andironsland intothe chambered back wallof the firebox, said means comprising an airconducting unit designed to open througha wall of the fire place, and consisting of a pair of telescopically associatedmembers,onethereof being secured to the fireibox andandirons, and coacting with the other-when shifted to control the entrance of air to the fireplace about the box.

12. in a fireplace, means for introducing air thereto through the back wall thereof consistingiof a pair of telescopically associated tubular bodies, the.outerone.of said bodies beingldesigned to be secured in tan. opening through the wall and the inner-body being adjustably held in spaced relation about and in the outer body, coacting lateral flaring flanges formed at the inner end of each of said bodies for regulating the passage of air between the same, adjustable means for closing the inner end of the inner of said bodies, and a fuel supporting structure formed to receive air from the inner one of said members and to conduct it to the front of the fire place for discharge.

13. In a fire place, means for introducing air thereto through the back wall thereof consisting of a pair of telescopically associated tubular bodies, theouter one of said bodies being designed to be secured in an opening through the wall and the inner body being adj ustably held in spaced relation about and in the outer body, coacting lateral flaring flanges formed at the inner end of each of said bodies for regulating the passage of air between the same, adjustable means for closing the inner end of the inner of said bodies, a fuel supporting structure formed to conduct it to the front of the fire place for discharge, said fuel supporting structure comprising a hollow walled body being adjustably supported at a point adjacent the front of the fire place and so connected with the inner one of said members that when shifted it will shift the attached member to regulate the passage of air between the meme bers of the air inlet unit. I

- 14. In a fire place, means for introducing air thereto through the back wall thereof consisting of a pair of telescopically asso-,

ciated tubular bodies, the outer one of said bodies being designed to be secured in an opening through the wall and the inner body being adjustably held in spacedrelation about and in the outer body, coacting lateral flaring flanges formed at the inner end of each of said bodies for regulating the passage of air between the same, adjustable means for closing the inner end of the inner of said bodies, a fuel supporting structure formed to receive air from the inner one of said members and to conduct it to air thereto through the back wall thereo consisting of a pair of telescopically associated tubular bodies, the outer one of said bodies being desi ned to be secured in an opening through t e Wall and the inner body being ad'ustably held in spaced relation about B5 and 1n t e outer body, coacting lateral flaring flan es formed at the inner end of each of said dies for regulating the passage of air between the same, adjustable means for closing the inner end of the inner of said bodies, a fuel supporting structure formed to receive air from the inner one of said members and to conduct it to the front of the fire place for discharge, said fuel suporting structure comprising a pair of holow andirons, each having connected inner and outer arms, the inner arms of the pair being designed to be extended in side by side relation into the inner one of said members, upright tubular legs supporting and in communication with the end of the outer arm of each andiron to discharge upwardly heated air therefrom, and swinging supporting feet attached to each of said legs.

' 16. In a fire place, means for introducing air thereto through the back wall thereof consisting of a pair of telescopically tubular bodies, the outer one of said bodies being designed to be secured in an opening through the wall and the inner body being adjustably held in spaced relation to and in the outer body, coacting lateral flaring flanges formed at the inner end of each of said bodies for regulating the passage of air between the the pair being designed to be extended in side by side relation into the inner one of said members, upright tubular legs supporting and in communication with the end of the outer arm of each andiron to discharge upwardlyheated air therefrom, a hollow walled fire basket supported by said andirons, a bottom for said basket, means for introducing air from the inner of saidmembers to said hollow wall and a valved discharge means leading from the hollow walled basket for discharge forwardly thereof, said means being in communication with said legs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

WILLIAM A. HANNUM. '7 

